


Blooming

by lucidfox



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gen, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Travel, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-02-08 17:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1949658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidfox/pseuds/lucidfox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two months after Queen Elsa reveals her ice magic to the world, she unexpectedly receives an invitation to the Royal Congress - a once-in-a-decade meeting of the leaders of the most powerful nations in the Old World. While there on a diplomatic mission, Elsa and Anna meet a young princess of a distant southern kingdom and pay a visit to her homeland. Little do they know that their new friend's past is tainted by dark secrets, and the kingdom is not as idyllic as it appears...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Royal Congress

If one wanted to travel all the way along the stretch of the Old World, from the shores of the Welcoming Sea in the east to the border of Lumineux in the west, there would be no better route than the River Verdant, even if it meant sailing upstream.

The lands it flowed through, by and large, were untouched preserves of nature, with a few cities wedged in between. At that time, the Industrial Revolution had already raised its head, smoking its coal-stuffed pipe, but railroads and locomotives, the inferior substitute for magic carriages, were still few and far between, mostly relegated to just a few routes between the old capitals of the West.

The Verdant didn't freeze even in winter, never ceasing the slow, smooth turn of its waters so characteristic of plain rivers. In summer, like now, the views from the river would bless a traveler's eyes with sunlit meadows, their green grass interspersed with yellow caps of dandelions, and lush broadleaf forests that stretched on and on with nary a hill in sight, still retaining some of their enchanted charm from the older times when magic was as common as dirt.

It was, in short, nothing like snowy mountains of Arendelle.

It was not to last, and even the workers who were, right now, installing the support beams of a new railroad bridge across the Verdant, and the woodcutters clearing the way for the future road itself from the bank onwards, could feel a hint of sadness for the nature that yielded to their axes and hammers.

The foreman – a round, burly man in a yellow cap, about fifty or so – leaned on an iron support beam, just freshly dug into and fixed in the ground, and looked downriver, trying to follow an indistinct white spot in the distance among the thick overgrowth at the banks.

"So you're stayin' here, kid?" he asked, finally turning his head to the left.

The "kid" the foreman was referring to was not clearly not one of the workers. He was a young man, roughly in his mid-twenties, about a head taller than the foreman, even in his stance of slightly leaning ahead – though that could have been caused by his abnormally large backpack almost bursting at the seams, with a spyglass and a roll of dense paper peeking out of it. He wore a vest of thick rugged leather, with oiled knee-high boots, and had an old flintlock pistol and a pair of elbow-long gloves hanging from his hip. His face was halfway obscured by a broad-brimmed hat, but even then, the smooth, delicate features of his cheeks and chin suggested a city-dweller who did not spend much time in the wild, contrary to what the rest of his appearance would suggest.

"I think so, yes," said the stranger with a distinct Northern accent. "My field tests will require a day or two, especially when having to operate the equipment in such an unsanitary environment."

He put his backpack on the ground and took out a large wooden box with a short metal tube poking out of one end, its end covered with a piece of cloth. It looked quite comical, all things considered. "This bridge and the whole track are some of the most important engineering projects of the decade. But when they're complete, nobody will remember what it looked like under construction, or the brave men who accomplished this daunting task." He smiled. "Someone needs to preserve the moment. For history."

The foreman chuckled without turning his eyes away from the river. "You some kinda artist, then?"

"I'm afraid it's not my forte, as much as I'd like it to be. But if my experiment works, artists will be obsolete."

The stranger traced the foreman's line of sight. "What caught your attention, anyway?"

"Some kinda ship down there, comin' our way. Maybe your keen young eyes see more?"

The young man drew his spyglass out of his backpack and pointed it at the white spot on the river. "A ship indeed. White sails... and the hull is almost white, too. No cannons, probably not a warship. Two... yes, two masts. A brig? Or a brigantine, perhaps? Forgot the difference... Was it the shape of the forecastle? Or the sails?.."

"What, do I look like a sailor to you?" said the foreman. "You better look at the flag."

"Can't make it out from here – Wait. White and gold. That much I can make out. Must be Notoeros, then."

"The southerners, huh? And white hull? Must be their royal yacht." The foreman snorted. "Bet it's going to Immereach, too. All the bigwigs are goin' there lately. Doesn't concern us, though."

"Wait, what?" asked the stranger. "What's going on in Immereach?"

"What rock have you slept under? The Congress, of course."

"The Royal Congress? Now?" The young man straightened blinked. "The last one was only two years ago! Why'd this one be so out of schedule?"

The foreman finally drew his eyes away from the approaching ship and turned to face the stranger, trying not to step in the loose dirt or bump into the nearby pile of wooden ties. "The Snow Queen, I'd wager. Why else? Hear they're inviting her too. City folks are goin' crazy over that, of course."

"The Snow Queen? She really exists, then?" The stranger scratched behind his ear. "I thought Hans just made that up to cover his disgrace. Half of Havfrue thought that, really – you should have seen his face when they dragged him through the city!"

"Hans?" asked the foreman.

"Our prince. Well, one of. Not important. You know, I wish I was in the city now. Would have loved to see the Snow Queen, if she exists. Talk to her, even better, but I doubt she'd mingle with commoners."

"Talk? You daft?" The foreman raised his voice a little, involuntarily spitting. "Why'd they even invite her here, I have no clue. Want her to freeze us too?"

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing she can't fix," smiled the stranger, taking off his hat. Under it, he had short black hair, seemingly well-trimmed, though somewhat messed up by the hat. "Don't fear her, instead think of the possibilities. Frost magic, real, honest magic in our world! I bet the professors don't have a theory for that, do they? And the potential, everything she could do with it, with the right nudge. I hope to meet her one day – she sounds utterly fascinating!"

The foreman gave a suspicious aside glare at his companion and moved a few steps away from him. "You're an odd fella, you know that?"

"Yes!" The stranger raised a finger enthusiastically into the air. "And proud of it!"

* * *

Immereach, the capital of the Eastereach Empire, greeted the two royal sisters with a refreshing morning breeze of the waning summer, ruffling the leaves of the long row of trimmed pines that led to the courtyard of the Summer Palace.

Anna dropped the pace of her steps as she entered the courtyard, and the hedge of evenly spaced pine trees gave way for a flat square of fresh green grass, filled with pleasantly smelling red and white flowerbeds glistening with dew under the summer sun. She actually wanted to walk faster; she couldn't wait to see the palace from the inside and meet all those other rulers whom she had only heard of so far. But Elsa was walking calmly beside her, and Anna reluctantly did her best not to outrun her.

"Shouldn't we hurry, sis?" she asked, pointing at the large clock on the palace's roof. "Look, it's almost twelve!"

"Emphasis on almost, dear." Elsa smiled, taking her sister's hand gently. "Don't worry. We're not late just yet."

Anna didn't really know how Elsa did that. Then again, there were many things that seemed to just come naturally to her, yet left Anna completely clueless and awestruck. Her winter magic, for instance. The reason they were here. The reason any of this happened at all. The reason both of their lives so far had been so... different. Still, at least it ended well for both of them, all things considered. Or did it?

Still, throughout the whole journey from Arendelle across half the continent, Elsa had been driven forward by a single goal: getting here, to the Congress. At every station, she needed just a brief glance at a map to decide where to go next – often leading to Anna having to run after her after taking some time to see the sights. She was never late, and inconveniences on the road like bad food, creaky beds or dirty floors never seemed to so much as mildly annoy her – or at least, if it did, she didn't show it. Elsa stayed cheerful all the way through, not quite how Anna remembered her in the preceding years.

And here they were. After a cold rainy night in Dijkstad, after the long carriage rides through muddy country roads around Drossel and Bierfest – all because Elsa didn't want to gather a crowd wanting to look at the infamous Snow Queen – they were finally here.

This "Royal Congress" business was beyond Anna's understanding, and it escaped her why it was important for them to even be here. It looked very important to Elsa, and that was all that mattered to Anna. All she knew – from the rare times when she hadn't slept through her history lessons – was that it was where the four Great Powers gathered once a decade or so to... talk politics, or something, ever since the first Congress ended the war with Lumineux three decades ago. It all seemed so distant from the concerns of Arendelle and its people. It was something large-scale between the rich and powerful countries – something that, by all rights, shouldn't even have concerned their cozy little kingdom way in the North. So why were they even here? Why were they invited? Why now, all of a sudden?

Because of Elsa, of course. Even as the sisters were finally together after years of isolation, it seemed the rest of the world wasn't going to give the two of them peace just yet.

They passed through the crowd gathered in the courtyard, which split in two and kept to the sides to leave the central alley clear for them. With a slight wave of her hand, Elsa coated the road with ice all the way long and kept going over it effortlessly.

"Showoff!" said Anna, grinning as she struggled to walk upright over the ice in fancy shoes.

She took a quick glance over the people they passed by on the way. The space was tight, and much to their displeasure, richly-dressed nobles had to stand almost shoulder to shoulder with muscular workers smelling of coal and oil, crooked old ladies who kept whispering to each other while pointing their shaking fingers at Elsa, and all kinds of other folks from all over the city, from the slums to the cream-of-the-crop districts. A few kids in brown rags, upon seeing the young queen, ran to her excitedly, jumping at her sides as she continued to walk.

"It's the Snow Queen!" they shouted. "Hey, Queen Elsa! Make it snow! Make it snow!"

Elsa raised her hand into the air, and a small cloud formed over the frozen path behind her, pouring down snowflakes. The kids cheered, running under the cloud and collecting them in their hands to make snowballs.

"Nothing's wrong with a little show, Anna," Elsa smiled again. "After all that happened, can you blame me for enjoying this?"

The palace itself rose ahead, and Anna could finally see it clearly, not obscured by people or the overgrowth in the courtyard. She practically devoured the scenery with her eyes; it was so rich and vibrant, so unlike the drab colors of the North!

It was a majestic four-story building of yellow and orange, with red hipped roofs peppered with tiny spires, and a long row of columns and arched windows above the portico, rested on statues from classical mythology. Just a slight – read, blatantly obvious – hint at the architecture of ancient Notoeros. Anna never got why they did these homages – didn't they have their own traditions to draw from? Still it looked very proper, strict, and fitting a country whose rulers could afford having this kind of residence.

Elsa could have designed better, of course. Anna was sure. She saw it. Not that an ice palace would have endured long in this climate.

The clock at the palace roof started ringing, making the colorful crowd in the courtyard suddenly froze in silence. Oddly, the five sets of double doors that served as the entrance to the palace proper remained closed, and the guards at their sides motionless.

"You should probably knock," smiled Elsa, nudging Anna with her elbow. "You're better at knocking than I am."

As the clock finished their twelfth strike, the formerly silent tall man on the balcony above the portico, in a bright red frock coat over a gold-encrusted shirt – the master of ceremonies, from the look of it – loudly announced: "Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

The guards at the middle set of doors turned, in perfect synchrony, and opened it with a loud slam. Out came a plump lady in a wide bluish-grey dress, with round cheeks and greying hair, standing with her hands joined together in front of her chest in a proper, formal posture. A red mantle with golden trimming dragged behind her, looking even longer than Elsa's was at her coronation.

"Her Majesty Empress Sophia Christina Augusta Wilhelmina –"

Get on with it, Anna didn't shout. Noticing that Elsa curtseyed, she did the same, clumsily. Her thoughts constantly wandered aside, and over a couple seconds, she managed to wonder what would happen if the Empress tripped over her mantle. And, really, she looked quite a bit less flattering than on portraits. More wrinkles and a disappointing lack of cupids floating around.

" – of Eastereach."

"Queen Elsa," Sophia said matter-of-factly, offering a polite nod. "Good to see you exactly on time. I would hate to see my guests waiting."

"It is an honor, Empress," said Elsa calmly.

Anna frowned slightly; for a moment, she almost saw her sister back in Arendelle's ballroom, wearing her coronation dress and gloves. Why was she holding back now?

She could guess why, though. This was not Arendelle, but a foreign land. Hushed whispers were heard behind their backs, and not all of them good, from the sound of it. Elsa was trying to hide it, but Anna could see the tension in her shaking eyebrows and the quickening of her breath. If her sister lost control here – no, she didn't even want to think of it.

"And this must be the princess said to be courting a commoner," said Sophia more coldly, turning to the younger sister.

"Courting? I just kissed him once–" started Anna, but immediately shut up, feeling a sharp icicle poking her back.

"I admit, this is hardly relevant to the Congress and its stated purpose," said Sophia. "Arendelle is a sovereign nation, and its domestic politics and court affairs are of no concern to me or any others present here. Neither is its reigning monarch's choice of attire, or lack thereof."

Sophia looked skeptically over Elsa's shoulders, half-exposed by her ice dress. "Royal tradition is passé these days, I know; blue is the new green, and snowflakes are the new crocus flowers. Thankfully, at least one of you remembers the proper heraldry of your homeland," Sophia cast a quick glance of Anna's dress of dark green, the same one she had worn on Elsa's coronation, "but I strongly encourage you, Princess Anna, to pay thought to the expectations placed on you with your high title, and the impression you cast on others – including potential suitors."

"S-suitors?" Anna blinked and recoiled slightly. "I don't need– er– I've had bad luck with suitors. Plus I'm already in love!"

"Indeed? With whom?"

Anna joined her hands and shyly straightened them down. "With love."

The Empress raised a single eyebrow, the corners of her lips involuntarily curving up despite her efforts to maintain an impartial expression. She turned back to Elsa.

"Is this your entire escort?"

"As you can see." Elsa smiled faintly.

"Quite an unorthodox decision for a monarch," said Sophia. "Should you require extra entourage or protection, as the host of the Congress I can make some arrangements –"

"No need, Your Majesty," Elsa said hastily. "Anna is a good friend, and all the company I need."

"Don't you at least need bodyguards?" asked Sophia.

"No."

The Empress looked with amusement into these clear blue eyes. The Queen of Arendelle looked back into hers. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Sophia was the first to avert her eyes.

"This is not precisely what I was expecting," she said quietly. "I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Regardless!" she raised her head to look at the master of ceremonies. "It is time."

"Most esteemed guests!" the master said loudly. "Today, Her Majesty the Empress welcomes our partners in trade and diplomacy, who have arrived from all corners of the Old World to grace us with their presence and decide the shared fates of our lands for years to come. The Fifth Royal Congress of Immereach is hereby in session!"

Sophia turned around, taking care not to step on her own mantle, and walked gallantly into the opened middle door. Elsa went next, holding her hands together in a clearly put-on gracious pose, and Anna took it as a sign to hurry in as well.


	2. Enter the Heroines

_Arendelle is one of many city-states on the Canis Peninsula. Originally founded by the Ice Raiders as Arnardalr, "Eagle's Dale", it thrived as a member of the Marketreach League until the annexation of the North Coast by Lumineux put an end to attacks on mainland Old World. While successful in civilizing the barbarians, the conquest also put an end to the prosperity of their towns; and even now that the Northerners have regained their independence and are experiencing a cultural renaissance, they remain at the backyard of world politics._

_Major points of interest are the old royal castle and the cathedral integrated into a holistic architectural complex, as well as the North Mountain, a beautiful remnant of the primordial natural world, still untouched by civilization. Travelers are advised to prepare for volatile weather._

– From "Jimbo's Guide to the Frozen North"

* * *

 

Stepping into the palace after Sophia and Elsa, Anna felt immediately overwhelmed by the sheer lavishness of the antechamber. An eye-searingly red carpet stretched under their feet over brownish-red parquet, towards a long hallway full of portraits of important-looking people in royal regalia – past emperors and empresses of Eastereach, presumably. The walls were of light yellow stone, encrusted all over with gilded flowery reliefs. Two rows of chairs stood by their sides – all red, with golden rims and those weird curved backs and legs.

All the windows here were arched and full height, like doors. They may have actually been used as doors. However, they were all shut, either by curtains or window blinds, so that no light got in. Instead, the palace was lit entirely by heavy chandeliers – also shining gold, of course, each of them fitting about fifty candles or more. Anna noticed that Elsa's hands trembled when she walked under the chandeliers. That would be something to ask her about… later.

She remembered home. The Arendelle castle was almost burned into her memory by now from all the years. So simple in comparison. No frills. Straight lines and basic shapes, in true Northern fashion. Calm colors, mostly subdued shades of green and purple, even panels of unpainted wood. It felt safer somehow.

They reached a large gallery with even more paintings on the walls, all in gold-encrusted frames. These were not portraits, for once, but scenes from famous battles throughout history. Even the ceiling was covered entirely by a mural depicting a castle siege. Anna actually recognized one of the paintings, that of an officer on a bucking white horse. That was Marshal Didot crossing the Arial Mountains; she saw it in an album of Lumineuse art. But wait – wasn't it supposed to hang in Lumineux, rather than here?

Sophia suddenly stopped in the middle of the gallery room, approached by a balding butler in a strict black frock coat (at least _someone_ here wasn't wearing red, Anna thought). He straightened and coughed into his hand.

"Your Majesty," said the butler, "The Chancellor humbly asks for your presence to revise and finalize the agenda for tomorrow's session. Of course, only when you are free from your current –"

"I _am_ free, Erwin," Sophia said coldly. "Direct our guests from Arendelle to their wing."

"Guests from Arendelle?" Erwin glanced over the sisters. "Where are the rest of – "

"All two of them. Now. I have to depart to handle state affairs. Queen Elsa," Sophia nodded briefly, "I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow." With these words, she began to walk gallantly to their right, soon disappearing behind a corner.

Elsa, on her part, remained curiously silent throughout the whole exchange. Anna wasn't even sure her sister was wholly there, as Elsa had the kind of blank expression she usually used to distance herself from her surroundings. Anna gently took her hand and immediately felt its muscles relax, as Elsa offered her a small "thank you" nod.

"Ahem." The butler coughed again, starting to walk in the direction opposite to where Sophia went. "If you would follow, please. Your accommodations have been arranged on the second floor of the western wing. We expected a larger staff, however, so most of the rooms will stay empty. If you so desire, we could –"

"No, that's good," said Elsa. "A little peace and quiet is a better reception than I expected."

They didn't walk for long, though. Just as they turned around the corner, they finally saw a wide staircase… blocked by quite a colorful company.

Four soldiers – or perhaps guards, Anna wasn't sure, but their ceremonial uniforms were clearly different from the red-and-gold palace guards – were dragging a bulky wooden wheelchair upstairs. It was occupied by an old man, though Anna couldn't quite make out his features from the back, other than his long grey hair.

Suddenly, the guards' livery clicked. Of course! A golden laurel wreath on a white field.

Notoeros. This was the Notoeros delegation. Part of it, anyway.

"This is inconceivable!" muttered the man in the wheelchair. "Sophia knew about this. I warned her about my predicament!"

At the bottom of the stairs stood two women – well, a woman and a girl, more like, and neither of them looked to Anna like they fit here.

The girl was about Anna's age, and the only one with light skin more typical of the North, while the rest of their company had olive skin one would expect from the South. She wore a loose, floor-long white-gold dress, as well as a laurel wreath on her head, had an almost unnaturally smooth round face and chest-long wavy golden hair, and her large violet eyes seemed permanently wide open.

The woman appeared about forty, though her weary green eyes seemed more fitting for a far older age. She wore all black: a loose robe with a high collar shaped like raven wings, a long cloak that dragged on the ground behind her, gloves of black leather, and a tall, two-pointed hat that hid all her hair under it – if she even had any hair.

Upon seeing the two sisters approach, hand in hand, the older woman turned her head and widened her eyes, looking strangely focused on them. In fact, Anna soon noted, as they made a few steps, that the Black Lady (a nickname that immediately sprang in her mind) was focused on _her_ , on Anna, rather than on Elsa. Anna could swear she heard her whisper "Curious..." under her breath.

...Well, this was new.

"I had no knowledge of King Stephanos's unfortunate situation," said Elsa, turning her head to Erwin.

"Neither had we received the word in advance," said the butler, "contrary to what he claims. This is apparently a recent development."

"His entourage seems strange," said Elsa.

"Stranger than a queen who makes ice?" smiled Anna, releasing Elsa's hand.

"Point taken." Elsa smiled back. Finally! "Well, it's best we get underway."

* * *

 

Anna plunged tiredly onto the bed she chose for herself in her and Elsa's allotted room. (They had both objected vehemently when Erwin suggested they take separate rooms.) For the next month, this was going to be their residence. Elsa would be busy talking politics, while Anna herself would be… Well, she wasn't yet sure what she'd do. Explore the city? She wasn't keen on doing it alone, though.

This was a fairly spacious bedroom, with walls of redwood and orange-rimmed carpentry and paintings, four purple-gold armchairs in the corners, and two separate double beds at opposite walls. Elsa looked like a bright blue spot that didn't fit in, with the color contrast between her dress and... just about everything in here.

Elsa's gaze fell upon one of the larger paintings, and her eyelid twitched. It depicted a ship on a stormy sea, with ragged, torn sails, dangerously slanted to the side and about to be overturned.

"It's hanging wrong," she said, clenching her fists. "In fact, the palace needs quite an overhaul. Walls at wrong angles, loose doorknobs, and the columns on the southern side are too sparse. Structural weakness. Not to mention it's overburdened with needless detail, and the color choices–"

"Elsa! For goodness' sake!"

Anna hopped off her bed and approached her sister, squeezing her hand tightly. How could Elsa's touch feel so warm without her ice dress melting? Must have been one of those eternal mysteries of magic.

"Relax," said Anna nervously. "You don't have to be so... not yourself here."

"I have to," said Elsa, lowering her head. "This isn't Arendelle, and these aren't my people. They expect things from me."

"So you're holding back," said Anna. "Because it worked so well last time!"

"This is different." Elsa sighed quietly. "All those years, I used to fear myself. I've got over that – I hope. But others still fear me. There are many who wish I would disappear. They see me as a danger to the peace the Congress has bought the world. They're wrong, of course, but I worry they may act on that fear."

"What can they even do?" asked Anna. "You have all this tremendous power!"

"Power that isn't worth much against a knife in the back," said Elsa. "Besides, I fear they may lash out on Arendelle. Not an invasion, of course, not against me. But they could easily starve us with a blockade or embargo. I wonder what kind of plan they have – and they have one, or they wouldn't have called me here."

"Well, that's all right! You also have a plan, right?"

"Anna, do I ever?" Elsa shook her head. "I had no plan for living with my condition, I had no plan for surviving in the wild after I ran away, and I have no plan now."

"So..." said Anna, feeling her head was beginning to spin. "You left Arendelle in a hurry, traveled all the way here, took _me_ all the way here, and all without even knowing what you'd _do_ on the Congress? Tsk tsk. I'm sorry, Elsa, but this just doesn't sound like you."

"Then maybe you don't know me enough," said Elsa. "I went because not going would be worse. Sometimes not doing something is worse than doing and regretting it. And I took you because – well, you wouldn't let me go alone, would you?"

"Hah! Of course not," said Anna.

"And I wouldn't let go of you, either. I need..." Elsa took a deep breath. "No, not need. I can't ask anything from you… especially not from you. Just – if tomorrow goes badly, and I suspect it will, I hope you'll be there for me. Before it gets even worse."

Anna felt Elsa's palm cover with thin frost – thankfully, it melted almost immediately from their warmth. "You can count on me," she said, laying her free hand on her sister's shoulder –

– and at this very moment, the door opened outward with a loud bang.

Elsa straightened and recoiled back, and the two sisters turned their heads towards the doorway at once.

It was the blonde girl from Notoeros. The one with the wreath.

* * *

 

For a few seconds, the three – Elsa, Anna, and the new girl – stood in awkward silence.

"I – I'm sorry, I didn't know!" the intruder mumbled, backing away. "I'll come at a better time! Or– I won't come at all, never mind me, really!"

She tried to push the door to close it and tried to run away.

Who was she? What did she want from them? There was no time to think – she couldn't be allowed to get away with this. Anna rushed to the door, holding it open with her shoulder, and set off in pursuit. "I'll be back!" she shouted before dropping out of Elsa's sight.

The princess ran down the hallway after the intruder, trying to catch her at the corner. It wasn't much of a race; Anna, clearly the faster runner even in her unwieldy garment, bumped into the blonde as she was turning and grabbed her above the elbow. The girl, with a look of horror, tried to break out of her hold, and Anna's fingers slipped; she barely managed to hold by the wide sleeve of the white-gold dress.

 _Creak!_ A long tear, all the way to the shoulder, appeared on the sleeve.

"Oops!" Anna mumbled, releasing the dress. The fabric felt very light to touch, but also fragile, almost like paper. What was it, anyway? "I'm sorry, I – "

"Oh, no need to worry," smiled the Notoeran, turning to her. Her voice was soft and high-pitched, even a little childlike. "It happens sometimes."

"My bad! Maybe I could sew it back? Or take you to the city, buy you another one –"

While speaking, Anna noticed with the corner of her eye that the torn edges of the sleeve began to move on their own. In a moment, the cloth mended itself, as if it was never torn at all.

Anna blinked. "...Wait, what? The tear, it's gone!"

"Told you you shouldn't worry," said the other girl.

"But – How." Anna uneasily exhaled. "How did that happen?"

"I don't know. My clothes just do that." The stranger moved her hand over the restored sleeve. "Come to think of it, I never thought how."

"Magic?"

"Oh, I hope not!" The blonde's expression suddenly got serious – just for a second, before she smiled again. "My people don't like magic. I don't know why, I've never seen it in my life, but Auntie Achlys always taught me magic was bad. Then I saw your queen and she didn't really look that bad, so I thought I'd look for myself..."

"And you also thought you could just barge into the queen's personal chambers?" Anna asked, folding her arms and sticking her head forward to look menacing. She didn't really mean it, though. Whoever this was, she didn't seem dangerous, at least.

"Oh, it's not your queen I was looking for." The stranger chuckled. "I didn't even know you two shared a room. Truth is – but don't tell Father or Auntie, all right? Truth is, I was bored and wanted to meet new people, and you looked friendly enough. Besides, Auntie sees something in you, and she's usually right about people."

"Look," said Anna, "where I'm from, it's considered polite to knock on someone else's door instead of just slamming it open."

"Well, where _I'm_ from, we have those things on doors called 'locks'. And when a door is unlocked, I just walk in. Nobody complains!"

Locks. Pfft. She was talking like Anna didn't know what locks were – though sometimes she wished she didn't. It's just that she didn't expect to have her and Elsa's rest disturbed – and not even by one of the palace servants, but by a delegate from another country!

...Of course, it probably was her fault for not locking the door in the first place. Why hadn't either she or Elsa thought of that? Drat.

"You know," said Anna, "It's also polite where I live to introduce yourself."

"You haven't, have you?" The girl grinned.

"Well, I had more important things on my mind! Like the fact that someone like you didn't even think how I'd react to – I mean, I was getting to that. Really! I'm Anna."

"And I'm Eos!"

Eos, hm? Anna vaguely remembered seeing that name in a mythology book. Dawn, was it? At times like this, she regretted not being as well-read as Elsa; her sister probably had all these ancient myths memorized...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden dimming of lights around the two of them. As if from a sudden gust of wind – though the air seemed perfectly still – the fires of the candles in the nearby chandelier shook and appeared to diminish, and her and Eos's shadows grew taller. The yellow plaster on the walls looked almost orange now.

"There you are," a calm, if dry and raspy, female voice reached them from further down the hallway, where Eos had been trying to run before being intercepted. "I did suspect your curiosity would get the better of you."

Anna turned to the sound. The Black Lady was coming in their direction – a little slouched, the folds of her bulky robe running down from her arms like dark wings.

"Auntie Achlys!" exclaimed the blonde.

Anna couldn't escape the feeling that she was at a history lecture again, with all the new names being suddenly thrown at her.

"Auntie?" she whispered. "That's your aunt? I don't really see the family resemblance."

"Godmother."

"Ah."

"Eos," the older woman continued in monotone, approaching the girls, "do the words 'diplomatic incident' mean anything to you? What were you thinking, venturing into another state's premises?"

Eos's bright outlook faded, and she looked trying to force herself to answer seriously. "Well, I thought – what's the worst that could happen?"

"Don't talk like that!" Achlys suddenly straighened and raised her voice. "What did I tell you about – "

" – tempting the Fates, I know, I know," Eos tucked her arms behind her back, like a student being disciplined. "Look, it turned out well, didn't it? Nobody's hurt and I think I got a new friend!"

"The Princess of Arendelle is not your friend, Eos," said the so-called aunt. "It's you I fear for. What will the king say when he learns what his daughter's been doing while he's asleep?"

"You're a princess?!" Anna and Eos both exclaimed at once, staring at each other with wide eyes.

"Uh... I didn't think it was important," said Anna with an awkward smile.

"And I didn't get around to telling that," said Eos.

"Anyway!" Anna faced Achlys, doing the best "official" expression she could. "The Princess of Arendelle doesn't mind this little 'diplomatic incident'. And I'm sure Elsa – I mean, my queen wouldn't either. Also she, I mean the princess, I mean I – I'd like to spend more time with your Princess Eos. Can I talk to your king about that?"

"The king is tired, and has gone to sleep," said Achlys. Her green eyes met Anna's, looking fixated, inquisitive. "But as Royal Advisor, I might approve of this request. Under certain conditions."

"What conditions?"

"Give me your hand. Just for a moment."

Not that Anna was particularly keen on shaking hands with strangers, but this was hardly the most unusual thing she heard that day. She hesitated for a while, but noticing an encouraging glance from Eos, reluctantly straightened her right arm forward and turned her palm up – like she had seen Elsa do when creating snow.

The black-clad woman took off her left glove and laid her palm atop Anna's – without locking their fingers. Her skin looked smooth, but somehow felt rough and dry to touch.

"Love," she whispered, her face brightening for a moment and losing its perpetual frown. "As I suspected. And I never thought it possible..." Achlys paused and removed her hand, wrapping it back into its glove – almost hastily, Anna thought. "You may mingle with this one, Eos," she finally said aloud. "She won't harm you."

"As you say, Auntie." Eos smiled. Again. She seemed to did that a lot. "Well, we best find a place prettier than this, right? I'll tell you all about my homeland and you'll tell me all about yours, and about your queen, and about your – "

"Hey, not so fast!" said Anna. "First, we'll go to Elsa – she's probably worried about my absence. After that – wherever you like!"

"Then it appears my presence is no longer required." Achlys waved her arm and turned, her cape fluttering behind her. The candles trembled again. "Should you need me, Eos, I shall be in your father's chambers. He will need help preparing for tomorrow."

Anna waited until she walked away beyond hearing distance, then leant to Eos's ear.

"You know, I think I have a shocking insight to share with you," she whispered. "You may want to sit down."

"I'll stand. What is it?"

"I think she's _eee-vil!_ "

"What?" Eos tilted her head and pouted. "Auntie Achlys isn't evil! What makes you think that?"

"For the starters? That black robe, and the gloves, and the hat – it almost looks like horns! And she's the royal advisor! Have you ever seen a story where an advisor dressed like that wasn't evil?"

"We aren't in a story, are we?" Eos pouted. "Auntie means well, I'm telling you. She raised me, she cared for me all my life. I know she acts weird sometimes, but..."

"You know," Anna shook her head, "I learned the hard way that people aren't always as kind as they look. Especially if they seem too good to be true."

"Learned the hard way?"

"Oh! Oops." Anna covered her mouth. "It's... personal. Forget I said that."

She paused to ponder for a moment. Come to think of it – this girl, Eos, actually seemed too good to be true. At least she didn't have an "obviously evil" fashion sense, and looked friendly and interested in her. But that, by itself, didn't mean anything; she remembered Hans too well.

Trust. After all that had happened, it seemed so complicated.

She trusted Elsa, of course. Perhaps more than herself. She trusted Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, after they had proven themselves by helping save her life – and she'd have gladly taken them along to the Congress, if not for (as Elsa put it) political complications.

But could she trust this girl? Or anyone at all, apart from her circle of friends?

Time would tell.

"Come," she finally said. "Let's introduce you to my sister."


	3. Winter is Coming to Notoeros

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! This turned out to be a long chapter, quite a bit longer than I intended. Given its nature, however, I found it awkward to split it in the middle, especially since it sets up things in motion for what is to come. In the future, I will try to space chapters out into more even length.

_Immereach, once nicknamed the "cultural capital" of the Eastereach Empire, was announced by newly-crowned Empress Sophia as her new seat of government immediately following the Siege of Luxartes – a decision that surprised many who expected her to rebuild Tretireach, the old capital city, after the end of the war. Soon thereafter, the First Royal Congress assembled here to redraw the map of the Old World, and since then, the city has been associated as much with the Congress system as with the Empire itself._

_Visitors are recommended to first pay a visit to the Monument Square, embodying the glory of ages past. Here, one will find the Round Gate, a famous archaeological artifact from the Middle East; the sculpture of the Sea Lizard that once terrorized the southern coast; the monument of the Anonymous Playwright, dedicated to theatrical classics whose origins are lost in time; and the Patriot Memorial, built in honor of those who died defending the fatherland from the Lily Menace…_

– From "Jimbo's Guide to the Great Powers"

* * *

Ceiling: crimson, with light blue snowflake patterns. The morning sun streaming through the window. Sounds of birds chirping outside; a minor, survivable distraction.

Elsa shifted her head on her pillow and extended two of her fingers, drawing a line in the air out of snow. Her powers were with her, and that meant she was no longer dreaming. Good. The real world called; exploring her imagination could wait.

A bright new day.

Anna was snoring on the other half of the bed, her hair messed up as usual. The other bed was untouched. Whether that was a deliberate choice or an accident – presumably from exhaustion – was an open question, but one that did not concern Elsa at the moment. She slid off, careful not to wake her sister (yet), slipped out of her nightgown, and recreated her ice dress with a wave of her hand – just like she did every morning. She made sure her shoulders were coveredthis time, though; one fewer reason for Sophia to nitpick, if anything.

The fruits of yesterday's work, in hindsight, were generally satisfactory. She had made arrangements for scribes in the Arendelle embassy, not trusting the hostsof the Congress to keep accurate records, and had gone once again through her notes on the other leaders and their possible objections to her rule – or, indeed, very existence.

Sophia, Stephanos, Edward and Otto. So far she had met only the first two in person, and only very briefly. But logically speaking, of the four Great Powers, Eastereach seemed too far east, and Notoeros too far south, to be particularly concerned about the hypothetical danger Elsa could present. No, it was Waldmark, and especially Mariton with its mighty navy, that would feel the most vulnerable to a Snow Queen claiming dominion over the North Sea.

(Also the Southern Isles, of course, but when did the Congress ever ask for the opinion of lesser powers?)

There was also something, Elsa recalled, about Anna asking permission to see the city with the Princess of Notoeros. To be frank, Elsa could not fathom why her sister would defer to her judgment regarding people, as long as she was not intent on marrying them. Besides, it was unlikely that the Notoerans had sinister plans for Anna – at least now, on the territory of a third party during negotiations. This way, she would have someone to spend time with, and Elsa had time to prepare in silence. It was to everyone's benefit.

The strange thing, however, was that Elsa did not remember anything about King Stephanos having any heirs. The books were silent on the matter of his progeny, and his wife died years ago (under "mysterious circumstances", as was the norm for Notoeran royalty). The sudden appearance of this daughter of his, who did not even look like a Southerner, was an interesting development. Elsa wondered if it was a surprise to Sophia and the others as well – or if they even knew.

Ultimately, however, such inquiries of idle curiosity could be postponed until after the Congress actually convened. And the first session was scheduled for today.

At least Anna was back here, with her. There was no need now to worry for her safety like yesterday, when she had failed to turn up before Elsa went to sleep. There was still the issue of waking her, though. The unending battle fought every morning.

Elsa pushed her lightly.

"Not now, sis..." Anna mumbled through her sleep, rolling onto her other side.

Elsa smiled and clicked her fingers, dropping a small block of ice onto Anna's cheek. The younger sister flung herself up with a gasp.

"Hey! That was uncalled for! I wasn't done with my dream!" She peeked into the window, squinting her eyes from sunlight – almost blinding in its reflection in the red rooftops of Immereach in the distance. "...I overslept, didn't I?"

"Not really," said Elsa. "It's still morning by the looks of it, and the Congress assembles at two in the afternoon. Plenty of time to put yourself in order."

"Well, then I better!" grinned Anna. "Got to look presentable for you."

She made an effort to stand up, and stretched. Walking to the door to her dressing room, she suddenly stopped and looked at Elsa, who was sitting on her half of the bed. "Why do we have to do everything ourselves, anyway? Dressing, makeup, hair… It's such a chore!"

"Because we're traveling light," said Elsa. "Didn't we both prefer it that way? Besides, we both grew up with only a skeleton staff, and I don't hear you you complaining."

"But we're in someone else's palace. On an official meeting where everyone's looking at us. I mean..." Anna raised her head and tapped on her neck. "All right, Her Enlightenness can't spare her servants, I get that. But couldn't you make, I don't know, someone? To ease our work, I mean?"

"Anna, please," Elsa sighed quietly, but tried to force a smile. "Do you realize what you're asking? We're talking about creating intelligent life here. Even if I could do that, and I'm not certain of it, it has, well – moral consequences."

"But Olaf – "

"Was an accident. I don't even know how I made him. I didn't mean to, I was just making an ordinary snowman. And I really don't like the thought – I don't know how I did it. Something that by all accounts shouldn't even be possible. How many such creatures will I create by accident in my lifetime? If I dismissed them, would it be murder? And will Olaf even keep existing after my death?"

"Elsa!" Anna gasped, covering her mouth. "Don't say things like that! You're so young, why are you thinking about death?"

"How can I not?" Elsa stood up and folded her arms. "I'm the queen. Death is something I have to think about – especially untimely death. Our parents didn't, and look where it almost led us. And also – maybe I..."

She sighed and looked around the shared bedroom. Reliefs of thin frost, shaped like crocus flowers from the Arendelle heraldry, cut in sharp red lines through the red wood of the walls, just like when she had shaped them yesterday. The painting with the sinking ship in storm was replaced with a flat blue rectangle: Elsa didn't have time to think what kind of ice tapestry she wanted to see there instead, so for now this would do until her mind was more at ease.

"Maybe I'm just trying to distract myself from the Congress," she said softly. "Talking to you helps. I should thank you for that."

* * *

The boundary of the "Arendelle guest quarters" was quite discernible to Elsa – or anyone else, really. The instant it ended – an entire half of a wing allotted to just her and Anna, and thus feeling more empty than Elsa wished – the hallway leading straight ahead, to the winding stairway up, was surrounded on both sides by rows of guards in red-gold, standing at attention. Sophia evidently elected to position riflemen to guard the Congress – which, while perhaps somewhat impractical, did serve to demonstrate the cutting-edge firearms used in the Empire, to those delegates who paid attention to such details. Was it intimidation – or merely a perceived safety measure, intended to stuff the "abominable" Snow Queen with bullets if the need arose?

"Say, Anna," Elsa turned her head to her sister, who was merrily strolling nearby, "I never got the chance to ask, how did you trip go? With the Princess of Notoeros, I mean?"

"Uh… Good! It was good!" Anna stumbled a little. "Why are you asking – Oh right, still trying to get distracted?"

"No, no, I'm actually curious," said Elsa, well aware that it was surprising for Anna to hear her ask how someone's day had been. "Was it time well-spent, then? Learned anything interesting?"

"Of course I did!" Anna nodded strongly, a smile almost frozen on her lips. "I learned that Immereach is a lovely city to visit! So many green alleys and parks, and the flowers in them smell so delightful, and the cathedral is so spooky – it's black, with all those weird pointy spires, you know?" For a second she raised her arms in the shape of an acute triangle. "And the view of the river, and the art museum, and the opera house – I never thought Adele Dazeem had such a dreamy voice! Did you know they're now writing a play based on – "

"Wait a second," said Elsa, "I'm quite sure you liked the city, but we'll see it later, together, won't we? I'm more interested in your companion. What is she like?"

"My… companion? Eos, you mean? Well, she's… I don't know," Anna blushed slightly. "We didn't talk that much about ourselves. I guess we were both too busy sightseeing, and… Well, she's – hard to say… Kind? Gentle? And sometimes we say the same thing at the same time, or finish each other's – "

Anna's face suddenly went pale, and she slapped her mouth. "Oh no! What if she's like Hans?" she exclaimed, grabbing Elsa's wrist tightly.

"Does she look that way to you?" asked Elsa, trying to sound as neutral as she could manage.

"Well, I don't know! I've known her for less than a day. At least she didn't try to kill me or try to learn state secrets. That's something, right?"

"That's something, indeed," said Elsa. "I'd still keep an eye on her, if I were you. And not just because she's trying to win your favor, but also because – "

She didn't get a chance to finish that thought. They had climbed a second set of stairs now – one that led to the fourth and final floor, and thus, the hall of ceremonies. "Sorry, Anna. I suppose later," Elsa managed a smile, soothingly stroking the back of her sister's hand until she loosened her grip of her wrist.

(The guards, unsurprisingly, did not even move an eyebrow throughout their whole conversation.)

The hall of ceremonies was not just on the fourth floor – it _was_ the fourth floor, in its entirety together with its two small antechambers, much smaller than the first three, as the rest of this level consisted of the roof. All the stairs led directly to its two entrances: the one they were looking at now and its counterpart on the opposite end of the floor. In case of emergency it could be easily cut off from the rest of the palace; a security precaution, no doubt.

Elsa took a deep breath and stepped inside, into the bright light, past the two guards standing at the sides of the gold-rimmed oaken door. Her heart raced, and every step felt as heavy as if her legs were made of solid iron. A queen of a small, humble northern country, she could not have imagined she would one day be standing here, where diplomats decided the fates of the world.

The walls here were only a faint shade of yellow, almost white, and the shapes of its golden floral reliefs was vaguely reminescent of oriental dragons. Lighting was provided not by a chandelier hanging in the center, but by four separate, unusually large sconces mounted in the corners. The two walls at her sides were covered in arched windows – draped with dense curtains, as was the norm here – and full-height mirrors. The opposite wall featured an enormous portrait of Empress Sophia herself in a purple-pink ceremonial dress, accepting the heavy imperial crown. The middle of the hall was dominated by a round table covered with a scarlet tablecloth, divided into five equal sectors, and a narrow pillar of light fell upon its exact center from a tiny window in the domed ceiling above.

All things considered, this room seemed the least offensive to Elsa's senses out of what she had seen of the palace so far. It had at least a semblance of a theme going, if not a very well executed one. With luck, and with competent interior designers, it could even look decent…

Oh right, the Congress.

Elsa managed to take only a cursory look at the people gathered, when –

"My peers," she suddenly heard Sophia's voice coming from the side, and turned to see the Empress herself, indeed, in the company of three ladies-in-waiting. "Please meet the most honorable Queen Elsa, of the Gate of the North, fabled Arendelle; as well as the youthful yet budding Princess Anna, who I am told was responsible for unraveling the treacherous conspiracy of the Southern Isles against royal tradition."

_Conspiracy? Hans was acting entirely on his own._ Of course, Elsa did not voice this thought. Instead, she cast a cursory glance over who else was present.

Small round tables along the walls (which were, bizarrely, dining tables; was this even supposed to be a spectacle?) were occupied mostly by members of the imperial House of Romsburg, namely Sophia's numerous sons and daughters, and nieces and nephews, and their spouses from diplomatic marriages hand-picked by the Empress herself. There were also five desks arranged for scribes from each state present – even Arendelle, insignificant as it was.

And at the central table… One of the five sectors was empty – perhaps meant for her. At the others, the royal delegates of the Great Powers were seated, along with their bodyguards and entourage, though Elsa recognized only a few of them.

Otto of Waldmark, the Soldier King – a bulky man with light hair and a heavy moustache, in a grey uniform with golden epaulets.

The elderly Prince Chancellor of Eastereach, whose name was passed only in frightful whispers through Elsa's court back home.

King Stephanos of Notoeros – old, wrinkled, with a long white beard that gave him the appearance of a classical philosopher. At his side stood Eos, the white princess-who-shouldn't-be, and the Black Lady – "Auntie" Achlys, as Elsa had heard from Anna.

Finally, the youngest monarch here bar Elsa herself, Edward of Mariton, the Sailor King – a tall man in his mid-thirties with chest-long black hair, in a double-breasted dark blue Royal Navy uniform. And with him… Sitting at his side, Elsa saw a face she wished she could forget.

"Honorable?!" exclaimed the Duke of Weselton, slamming his fist on the table. "The Witch of the North is nothing but honorable! I'm telling you, she's come here to freeze us all, like she froze her homeland!"

" _Nearly_ froze her homeland, with all due respect," said Elsa. She caught a furious "you again?" expression in Anna's eyes, directed at the Duke. Something had to be done before Anna would explode, and the rehearsed defense she was about to use made her feel dirty on the inside. "The truth is that I received word from Princess Anna that Prince Hans was plotting my overthrow and seizing control of Arendelle through political marriage. Together with her, we staged my supposed exile and pretended I was a danger to the kingdom, to force the conspirator's hand – a plan that someone _else_ almost ruined by covertly ordering his bodyguards to shoot me."

While speaking, she poked Anna with a preemptive icicle in the back before she could contradict this story, and caught a knowing yet grateful smile in the corner of Sophia's lips.

"I object!" The Duke stood up so suddenly that the fake hair at the top of his hair jumped, momentarily exposing his baldness. "Even if it was staged, the danger you represented to your people was real. I had to do something before it got worse, and exiling me was a gross diplomatic misconduct for which I intend to seek justice here!"

"The 'danger'," said Elsa, smiling confidently, "was a nonlethal winter that served only to create the appearance of danger. And among reasons why I would see fit to exile a diplomat, 'attempted regicide' ranks quite high."

Sophia shook her head and extended her arm. "My peers, may I have your attention. Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, please take the seats meant for you. I would not want royal guests of mine feel forced to stand."

Elsa and Anna proceeded to the free seats, while the Duke of Weselton bit his lower lip. Elsa tried not to show her own feelings, but she could just see from Anna's triumphant expression just how hard she had to resist the temptation to show the Duke her tongue.

"My friends," spoke Sophia, while slowly and calmly walking to the Eastereach side of table, "let me remind you the history of this Congress. Thirty-two years ago, we ended the bloodiest war in history, a war that should have never been fought – many of whose veterans, besides myself, I still see in this very hall." She looked at Otto and Stephanos, both of whom seemed detached and listening only half-heartedly. "When our coalition broke the walls of Luxartes and cast out the Usurper, I knew that there was only a matter of time before the Great Powers, left without a common enemy, would turn on each other. I needed to act to preserve peace for decades to come, and the Congress was the answer."

Elsa blinked – and caught the other monarchs barely hiding yawns. This was textbook history. Did the Empress actually believe in it?

" _This_ Congress," continued Sophia, "where problems and perceived wrongs are solved at the negotiation table, not the battlefield. And for the Congress to endure and last, we need to focus on the big picture and rise above inconsequential grievances, above minor injustices and petty complaints..." Sitting down next to her Chancellor, she grabbed a filled glass on her side of the table and took a sip. "Erwin!"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" asked the butler, walking to Sophia's chair with such a calm face as if he was witness to a gentlemanly conversation about weather.

"I want your men disciplined," said the Empress. "I specifically ordered the drinks cold. Does this taste cold to you?"

"I apologize for the inconvenience, Your Majesty. We shall find the one responsible right away –"

_Plink._

Sophia turned her head at the sound. An ice cube was floating in her glass – and everyone else's, too.

"Normally, correcting a servant's mistake would be a servant's job, _Queen_ Elsa," she said with minor annoyance. "However, my experience has taught me that the best solution to a problem is often the least expedient one. For example: my peers feel that your existence, your… gift, threatens the delicate balance of power. Some of our advisors suggested assassinating you..."

Elsa's muscles tensed.

"...But this solution was rejected for many reasons, not least of all because it would fly in the face of the very tradition this Congress exists to protect, the sanctity of royal blood and the absolute power of a monarch over their people. We believe, however, that we have found a consensus."

Sophia made a pause, catching her breath. Elsa squinted her eyes; feeling small icicles forming on her palm, she swallowed and reached to hold Anna's hand under the table.

"The Congress shall now vote on the inclusion of Arendelle as the fifth Great Power of the Old World." Sophia moved her eyes over Edward, Stephanos and Otto, counting raised hands. "Everyone in favor. Passed."

Wait, what?

No, wait, that was Anna's line.

Still… this went a little too quick. Was it rehearsed beforehand? Did they agree on it behind the scenes, with the vote being little more than a formality?

"Queen Elsa," said Sophia, "We are honored to count you as an equal among equals, peacekeepers of the Old World."

...What a load of…

"Of course, such an admission may only occur on the grounds that you share our common values. You shall pledge to never wage war, or economic warfare, against any of the Congress members, as we shall in turn pledge such guarantees towards Arendelle. And you shall, as we have, devote your resources – in your case, your personal power – to the stated mission of the Congress, the preservation of legitimate royal authority across the Old World, lending your strength against would-be conquerors, insurgents, and others who would threaten our peace and stability." (How did she manage to say all that without taking a breath?) "Do you, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, accept these terms?"

Tempting.

There was little time to think. Yet, the offer seemed like a no-brainer. A choice between being branded a loose cannon, untrustworthy, and spending her life fending off all the Great Powers at once – or having a voice among them, a voice that she could use for good? She could almost realize why they were making such an offer, too… It was the "insurgents" part and the "stability" part that irked her. At some point, they _would_ ask her to do something against her conscience…

At some point in the future. As in, not now. One problem at a time.

She eyed her "peers" up and down. Sophia's cold eyes (who here was the Snow Queen, again?) expressed nothing she could latch on, but Edward and Otto's eyes showed fear. Fear… that she would decline? Establish herself as being outside their system? Did they even think that far?

For the first time in a while, initiative was in her hands.

"I accept..." Elsa said, smiling inside at almost hearing the sighs of relief.

"Excellent," smiled Sophia. "Now with this out of the way, we can move on to trade agreements..."

"...on two conditions on my part," continued Elsa sternly. "First, that I am allowed to exercise my magic everywhere at my discretion, and not just with explicit permission from the Congress, as long as such actions do not cause harm or otherwise violate local law..."

"I believe I speak for everyone when I say, 'accepted'," said Sophia, almost in a "get it over with" tone.

"And two, that the same guarantees are extended to any other bearers of magical gift if such are found, now or in the future, and that they are not brought to justice unless they actually commit a wrong beyond merely existing and using their powers."

"Now, excuse me," Stephanos suddenly growled. "Whatever forbidden knowledge you unearthed by locking yourself in your castle for years, it must be destroyed, not shared to create an army of sorcerers loyal to you – "

"Forbidden knowledge? Unearthed?" Elsa almost chuckled, but composed herself when she felt Anna grip her hand tighter. "Is that what you think? That I found it in a book somewhere? Well, let me rest your fears: I was born this way."

Or maybe he _should_ have left believing she found it in a book? No. That would mess up what she had in mind…

"Nonsense!" Stephanos shouted, rising from his wheelchair by leaning his weight on his arms on the table. "Are you expecting me to believe that you were always like that? That it just happened, without a cause? We make an exception for you because you're a queen, but we must find this cause and quench it before it does any more harm!"

"She is right, my liege," the Black Lady suddenly interjected, leaning over her king. "Sorcerers are born, not made."

"What, are you on her side now, Achlys?" Stephanos asked angrily. "Are you in league with the Witch Queen, perhaps? Maybe you're a witch too – plotting with her behind my throne?"

"I am no sorcerer, Your Majesty. And I am quite troubled that you would doubt my credibility regarding their nature. You know quite well that I _never_ lie."

Sophia coughed loudly into her hand. Everyone at the table, including Elsa – and even Anna – turned their attention to her. "Please, my peers. There is no need to escalate the situation – we can solve this disagreement peacefully. Queen Elsa, may I inquire – what makes you believe others like you even exist?"

Ah. As much as Elsa did not foresee such a question even being asked – or indeed, this subject matter even arising – thankfully, she did have a response ready.

"Well," she said, "let's rewind to three hundred years ago. The War on Magic ended. Your ancestors – and my ancestors, let's be fair – thought they had wiped magic off the face of the world. Except they didn't, you see that now?"

"I don't see what this have to do with – "

"I'm here," said Elsa. "I was born in a family that never had any sorcerers in its ancestry. And you can verify this – the records are quite thoroughly kept. They didn't wipe sorcerers out, they merely killed those who lived back then. And they continued to be born, but had to hide, like I did. There are most likely others like me, living in secret somewhere, each thinking they're the only one. And wouldn't you want _their_ powers to serve the common good of the Congress, too," she almost cringed from having to say that with a straight face, "rather than just being wasted?"

"Elsa, what are you saying?" Anna almost jumped in her seat. "Others like you? What if they're suffering like you did? Why didn't you tell me anything about this? We'd leave to look for them right away!"

"I'm not _certain_ they exist, but it's highly likely," said Elsa. "Just statistically speaking. Let me find them myself, Your Majesties. They would be too scared to come into the light at your call, but I'm one of them. They'll listen to _me_."

"Well, I can see how the prospect of such power at the disposal of the Congress would be a promising development – " Sophia began, but Stephanos interrupted her – loudly.

"No, no, and no!" the King of Notoeros gnarled his teeth. His face was frightening, twisted in inhuman hatred; it almost looked to Elsa like he was about to pounce at her – or anyone else at the table – in a moment, health notwithstanding. "There is and there will be no magic in my lands, and the only way this Snow Queen is entering them is – "

"Father, no!" Princess Eos suddenly yelled, while Achlys only looked at him and silently clenched her lips.

"The only way she's coming here is… over my… dead…"

Stephanos leaned on his arms so hard that it looked like he was trying to break the table. It only lasted for a moment, though. Suddenly his expression froze, and strength left him. "...Body..." was all he managed to utter before falling on the floor, motionless, his eyes wide open.

The delegates at the table stood up at once. Eos rushed to Stephanos with a cry of "Father!", dropping on her knees. Anna lunged forward too, but Elsa pulled her hand back, only shaking her head with a quiet sigh.

"Tempting the Fates," said Achlys, turning away and lowering her head. "Yet again. All these years, and you haven't changed, old fool."

Sophia tapped her foot on the floor. It was clear from her face that she, too, was agitated, but even so, she did not raise her voice.

"Order, please! Above all, don't panic. Erwin, bring the doctors here. Everyone else, vacate the area. This Congress session is adjourned."


End file.
